Pre-Game Talk: Week of Denver does Dallas, Vegas Circumventing Knights, and Tatanka

[Richard88]

What a difference a year makes. And remember, this season the Avs are currently the third best defensive team in hockey according to xGA%. View attachment 508070View attachment 508071

It's almost like it helped to play on a line with Nichuskin last year (and to a lesser extent one of Saad/Donskoi).

 

[Foppa2118]

Rightfully so, especially after the Bruins game when he got rightfully benched.

You don't get your letter taken away for a bad penalty though.

I mentioned this a while ago, but they effectively gave the A to Mikko full time when EJ was out last year pretty much the whole season. They would more or less be taking the A away from Mikko to give it back to EJ, because there's clearly been a changing of the guard as the young guys have gotten older and taken on more of a leadership role.

Bednar likes his stars to wear the A's anyway. Remember he took away the A's from McLeod and Iginla his first year to give them to MacKinnon and originally Duchene before he was traded?

I agree with Kingslayer though, I doubt EJ cares that much. He's a vet. He doesn't need a letter to be a leader on this team and he knows his role has changed.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

I'm really not that surprised this year after watching him play, and both he and Compher together are an absolute train wreck. Poor NAK was rendered completely useless last night because of those two.

He's not winning ANY puck battles. None. He's getting completely smoked on faceoffs. I laughed the other night against Dallas because on an offensive zone draw, he tried to "win" the faceoff by literally spinning around the tucking the puck between his legs in hopes of dumping it in the corner, which of course was what his opponent was trying to do anyway. And he couldn't even do that, the other center intercepted it and Dallas easily got possession.

It's just sentiment at this point. The Avs are hanging onto him like a teddy bear merely because he's a good guy. And he IS a good guy, but this year, he's also a very bad hockey player.

I don't care why they are hanging on to him.. Only that they are. It's got to be obvious to Joe that Jost peaked last season and he's never going to really be any good.

Bite the bullet.

Compher's stick is where loose pucks go to die. Jost can't even attract them much less possess them.

 

[BrickNHL]

We stan Josty and JT #TysonTuesday

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

I would like to see the Avs give Aube-Kubel some time on the 3rd line over LOC. I think NAK has a little more skill and just generally seems to be more effective recently.

 

[dahrougem2]

I would like to see the Avs give Aube-Kubel some time on the 3rd line over LOC. I think NAK has a little more skill and just generally seems to be more effective recently.

I think the guy is easily the best player out of NAK/LOC/JTC/Jost/Helm. He's got the most skill, he's got the best shot, he's the most sturdy/heavy of the bunch to play against, and he just seems like a guy that can give more with increased minutes.

Logan O'Connor is showing with each passing game why he's an extremely good 4th liner but cannot play higher than that. He needs his 10-12 minutes of ice time per game max where he can go balls to the wall each shift instead of 15+ where he has to temper his playa and try to conserve energy.

 

[Balthazar]

NAK seems to take fewer dumb penalties lately as well. When he got here it was like one per game.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

 

[the_fan]

There is a game in less than 30 minutes and no GDT...